Support

Weaving the fabric of a community . . . one thread at a timeEach of us is an individual thread with its own unique composition and color. Woven together, the resulting fabric is indeed a beautiful tapestry that tells a community’s story.

You are a vital part of the fabric of RRCAA. Whether a patron, a student, or a lover of the arts, you bring a vibrancy to this organization, empowering us to be a vital part of the community, strengthening the fabric of our community as we collaborate with neighbors, businesses and organizations in our area.

Read on and be inspired about other like-minded organizations who also believe in the power of a tightly-knit community. Then get involved and become a part of that fabric by giving a gift to RRCAA, knowing your gift makes all the difference.

All three of the Gabor children, David, Nichol and Libby, have been active at Rabbit Run since they were preschoolers. They’ve taken dance classes for close to 20 years at RRCAA, and all three have had private music lessons, remembering with special fondness those with the late Joe Acerra. Nichol and Libby have also performed and worked backstage on numerous productions at the barn and have been active in Rabbit Run summer youth camps.

“Plus,” says Dave Gabor (father), “David and I have, through the Boy Scouts, helped set up tents for special events at the barn.” “And I,” says Tammy (mother), “ got to play taxi cab driver for all of this!”

“Rabbit Run’s music education programs fit in so well with those offered at the high school”, says Tammy, “and both programs work so well together.”

“Rabbit Run brings the community together in ways no other organization can,” added Libby. “It is wonderful to have this organization in this community—everything they offer is amazing. I love it!”

Rabbit Run Theater’s relationship with Breckenridge Village in Willoughby, OH, began in 2007, when the theater developed a group sales program. Right away Breckenridge started bringing groups of their residents to performances and has been a faithful customer ever since.

Breckenridge Village residents Elaine Klosky and Gertrude Bleisch have been theater patrons at Rabbit Run for many years. “I have been coming to Rabbit Run since we started coming with the group outings,” says Gertrude. “I love coming to see a show at Rabbit Run”, says Elaine. “My eyes don’t see so well, but I can hear the music, and it is wonderful!”

Elaine and Gertrude both heartily agree the bunny cookies served to groups at intermission are the best!

“Our relationship with Rabbit Run goes beyond that of customer/vendor”, says Lucy Nixon, marketing director. “Rabbit Run routinely assists us with props and costumes for our volunteer appreciation events. And Rabbit Run as an entertainment venue is just such a great fit for our residents.”

Robin and Steve Baum became familiar with Rabbit Run Theater in the early 1990’s when they began coming to shows with other members of the Western Reserve Junior Service League. Within a couple of years they became season ticket holders.

“It’s relaxing and it’s friendly”, says Steve, “and we were and are so impressed with the quality of the shows. You see really good theater in a unique environment, and its history is so rich; you can feel the history here.”

The Baums were asked to participate in a focus group as part of a strategic planning initiative in 2007. We got to know Brint (executive director, RRCAA) and one thing led to another. Robin then went on to serve on the board of directors for five years, two of which were as board president. During Robin’s tenure as president, she and Steve were instrumental is starting the Endowment Fund.

More recently, Robin has begun volunteering as a sound board operator having worked the sound board last year for Rabbit Run’s production of “The Elephant Man”, as part of The Studio Series at Lake Erie College.

“All the opportunities Rabbit Run provides for youth are wonderful,” says Robin. “Students can perform or work backstage. Rabbit Run is an excellent training ground for youth aspiring to work in theater and the arts.”

A strong thread in the community’s fabric is the Madison Public Library with Nancy Currie as director and fiscal officer.

As educational resources in the community, the Madison Public Library and RRCAA have worked together for years providing fine arts opportunities to people in Northeast Ohio. From the Annual Juried Art Show to on-site classes to Ohio Chautauqua and collaborative reading programs, the library and RRCAA work to keep the arts alive in the area.

“Rabbit Run is a great partner and a driver in the community,” says Nancy. “They provide a quality and depth of arts programming rarely seen in a small town. By partnering with RRCAA, we are able to bring more grant monies and experiences to Madison than either organization could do individually. The arts feed a part of you that needs to be fed.”

“We know so much on the literary end,” says Virginia March, executive director of the Perry Public Library. “And it’s nice to know that if we can call on Rabbit Run to supplement our programming, it truly enhances what we have to offer the community.”

Preschool art camps, family art and craft classes, combined reading and art programs, tours at Rabbit Run Theater and even actors performing scenes from shows are all ways in which RRCAA and the Perry Library have coordinated programming, enriching the fabric of the community.

“The cross-over of patrons between our two organizations is wonderful. It provides us the opportunity to put our programming in front of other people. It’s a win/win situation bringing benefits to both organizations and our respective patrons.”